Senior UAV Mechanical Engineer — Airframe & Payload Lead

Heven AeroTech; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Disability coverage

Job summary

Heven AeroTech in Kentucky is seeking a senior Mechanical Engineer to lead airframe design, structural analysis, and integration of mechanical systems for unmanned aerial platforms.

The role requires guiding cross‑functional teams, delivering manufacturable solutions, and mentoring junior engineers while advancing payload integration, testing, and production readiness across prototypes and production stages.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering; Master’s desirable.
• 5–10 years in mechanical engineering, UAV/aerospace or complex hardware.
• Deep expertise in mechanical design, structural analysis, and system integration.
• Proficient in CAD tools and able to lead complex subsystem development.
• Ability to influence design decisions for manufacturability and lifecycle reliability.
• Strong communication across technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development and integration of new functional payloads and airframe components across analysis, design, prototype and production stages.
• Architect workflows, technical drawings, and analyses to ensure manufacturability and performance.
• Provide technical direction during design reviews and mentor junior engineers.
• Define validation strategies and oversee structural and system‑level tests.
• Lead readiness reviews and resolve cross‑disciplinary issues.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing and programs to drive alignment.
• Drive process improvements and documentation to strengthen product quality.
• Offer data‑driven technical guidance to influence decision‑making.

Skills

Mechanical design

Structural analysis

System integration

CAD tools

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentorship

Project ownership

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree desirable

Tools

SolidWorks

CATIA

Creo

Job description

Heven AeroTech in Kentucky is seeking a senior Mechanical Engineer to lead airframe design, structural analysis, and integration of mechanical systems for unmanned aerial platforms.

The role requires guiding cross‑functional teams, delivering manufacturable solutions, and mentoring junior engineers while advancing payload integration, testing, and production readiness across prototypes and production stages.